Ditching-machine.



0. F. WHITE.

DITGHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27, 1908.

917,821. Patented Apr. 13,1909.-

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0. F. WHITE.

, DITQHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1908. 917,82 1 Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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0. F. WHITE.

DITOHING MACHINE. 'APPLIUATION FILED MAY 27, 1908.

91 7, 82 1 y Patented Apr. 13 1909.

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G. P. WHITE.

DITGHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27, 1908.

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Patented Api'. 13, 1909.

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Patented Apr. 13, 1909. 5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

0,1". WHITE. DITOHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1908. 917,82 1

Memz":

CHARLES F. WHITE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DETCHIN G-IVIACHHJ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 18, 1909.

Application filed May 27, 1908. Serial No. 435,256.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. WHITE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Ditclnng-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary ditching machines.

The objects of the invention are to provide a machine of this character, comprising a conical cutter head provided with a plurality of removable cutters, and with a plurality of pockets which catch and discharge the earth as the cutter head revolves, means consisting of a pair of endless conveyers being 'n'ovided for receiving the earth as it discharges from the cutter and conveying it to either or both sides of the ditch, the head being mounted upon an adjustable frame which is attached to a suitable traction engine, whereby the head is rotated, and propelled forward as the cutters remove the earth. Further, to provide a conical, rotary, skeleton cutter head having a plurality of pockets arranged around the base of the head, which discharge into the interior of the head, a stationary segmental shield being provided for closing the dischar ing sides of the pockets until they reach tne discharging point in the rotation of the wheel, a chute being arranged to receive the earth from the pockets and to discharge it upon one or both of a pair of endless conveyers, by which it is conveyed to either or both sides of the ditch, the head being supported upon an adjustable frame which is attached to a suitable rotary engine, means being provided for transmitting power from the engine to the cutter head, whereby the head is rotated as the engine advances. These objects are accomplished by the mechanism illustrated. in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the improved rotary ditching machine, a portion only of the cutters being shown, while one of the conveyer belts is omitted, for the sake of clearer illustration. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the machine, most of the cutters being omitted. Fig. 3, is a rear end view of the ma chine, illustrating more particularly the endless conveyers and means of supporting and operating the same, the cutter head being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4, is an enlarged front elevation of the cutter head complete. Fig. 5, is a rear view thereof. Fig. 6, is an enlarged side elevation of the cutter head, the chute for delivering the earth to the conveyers being shown in connection therewith. Fig. 7, is an enlarged central, vertical sectional view through the cutter head. Fig. 8, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a rear elevation of the cutter head, and showing the shield which covers the pockets of the cutter head, the chute and the endless conveyors which receive the earth from the chute. Fig. 9, is an enlarged vertical, sectional view through a portion of the cutter head on the line 99 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10, is an enlarged detail perspective view of a portion of the cutter head, showing the arrangement of one of the pockets. Fig. 1 1, is an enlarged detail perspective view of the chute for receiving earth from the cutter head pockets, showing a hinged wing by which the earth falling into the chute may be deflected to fall on either or both of the endless conveyer belts. Fig. 12, is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of pivotally connecting the cutter head supporting frame to the frame of the traction engine, and Fig. 13, shows a modification in the manner of securing the cutters to the cutter head.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1, indicates a suitable traction engine comprising a pair of parallel beams 2, which are mounted on front and rear wheels 3 and 1 respectively. Upon the beams is mounted a boiler 5, connecting with an engine 6, which operates a driving shaft 7, mounted on the beams 2.

Adjacent to the rear ends of the beams 2, and upon the same, are secured a pair of ver tical standards or uprights 8, which are braced by struts 9, which are secured to the upper ends of the standards 8 and to the beams 2. The lower ends of the standards extend below the beams 2, and in these extended ends is mounted a shaft 10, upon which is pivotally mounted the forward end of the cutter head supporting frame. This frame comprises a pair of parallel beams 11, having boxes 12, on their forward ends, through which the shaft 10 passes, while their rear ends are supported by a pair of guy ropes 13, which pass over sheave wheels 14, on a support 15, connecting the upper ends of the standards 8, and down and around drums 16, on a shaft 17, mounted in bearings on the under edges of the beams A pair of depending brackets or hangers 18, are secured to the rear ends of the beams 11,

cured to the shaft.

which converge at their lower ends, and upon these ends are secured a bearing box 19. A pair of hangers 20, depend from about mid way of the beams 11, and upon the lower ends of these hangers is secured a bearing box 21, while a similar bearing box 22 is secured between the forward ends of the beams 11. The boxes 19, 21, and 22, are in axial line, and in these boxes is mounted a shaft 23, having collars 24, which bear against the forward sides of the boxes, and prevent the shaft from moving rearward in the boxes, the

' shaft when in operation being at a downward incline from its forward end, as shown in Fig. 1. Upon the shaft 23, is rigidly mounted the improved rotary cutter head, which is condeal in form, and which is constructed in the following manner: A hub 24,forms the apex of the cone, and a broad flat ring 25, forms the base of the cone, and the hub and ring are connected by a plurality of ribs 26, which are firmly bolted at their ends to the said hub and ring, the hub being rigidly se- At equidistant points between the said hub and ring, are rigidly secured upon the shaft hubs or collars 27 "and to the ring 31. pocket, in order of rotation of the head, is

and 28 respectively, to which are bolted spokes 29 and 30 respectively, which are secured at their outer ends to hoops or rings 31 and 32 respectively, the ribs 26 being also bolted'to the said rings 31 and 32. The spokes 29 are further braced by a ring 33, to

' which they are bolted, this ring being about the same diameter as the ring At equidistant points between the ribs 26,

are similar ribs 34, but these ribs extend only from the base ring 25 to the forward ring 32, being bolted to the rings 25, 31 and 40 32. Upon the ribs 26 and 34 are secured the knives 0r cutters 35, which comprise shank ortions, which are suitably secured to the ars, preferably by bolts, and cutting members which stand out beyond the shank portions, the cutters being given an offset bend for that purpose.

A plurality of cutters are secured to each rib, and the cutters are so arranged that those on one rib are slightly out of line with the cutters on the next succeeding rib thus when the cutter head is revolved, the whole surface of earth in contact with the head will be acted upon.

A plurality of pockets 36, are arranged around the cutter head at its base, a pocket being positioned between each two ribs, and the rear sides of these pockets are closed by the ring 25, while the outsides of the pockets are closed by a series of sheet metal sections 36-, which extend from one rib to Within a short distance of the next succeeding rib, in order of rotation of the head, these plates being riveted to a rib, to the end plate 25, The rear end of each formed by a plate 37, which extends in from the end of the section 36 to a point on a plane with the inner edge of the ring 25, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 7 and 10. hus each pocket is closed on three sides and open on three sides, and as the head revolves and the cutters remove the earth, it will roll down the inclined surface from which it is cut, into the pockets, where it will be held during a portion of the rotation of the head by the ring 25, the sections '36 and the end plates 37, but as each pocket approaches and rises above a horizontal plane, the earth would be discharged through its inner open side, and as the pocket must stand substantially verticalor at the highest point in its travel before discharging its contents, the following device is employed for effecting that purpose. A stationary shield 38, comprising a segmental plate and a flange at right angles thereto, is placed within the head, so that the segmental plate will cover the inner open sides of the pockets immediately behind it, while the right angled flange will cover the open sides of the pockets facing the apex of the cutter head. This shield is substantially one-third of the circumference of the inner edge of the base ring 25, and is so positioned that its upper end terminates a short distance on one side of the vertical center of the ring. It will thus be seen that as the pockets begin to ascend toward a horizontal plane, they will pass in behind the shield, which will prevent the earth carried by them from escaping, until the pocket reaches the upper end of the shield.

A bearing box 39,'surrounds the shaft 23, substantially on a plane with the base ring 25, and this box is held against endwise movement by collars 40, secured upon the shaft. An arm 41, is fastened at its lower end to the box 39, and its upper end is bolted to one of the beams 11, of the cutter head supporting frame, and arms 42 are bolted to the segmental plate and to the arm 41, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and thus the shield is held stationary, while the cutter head rotates.

A chute 43, is arranged to receive the discharge from the pockets, and this chute is secured in any suitable manner, within the cutter head, preferably by arms 44, which are bolted to the chute and to the arm 41. The receiving end of this chute lies at the termination of the upper end of the shield 38, and the lower end thereof extends outside of the cutter head, and terminates in a prism shaped deflector 45, the forward end of which extends into the chute a slight distance, in the form substantially of a locomotive engine pilot. To this end of the deflector is hinged a wing 46, which may be swung to either one side or the other of .the chute to cause the discharging earth to pass out on either side of the deflector, or the wing may 1. low

be centrally positioned, with respect to the chute, and thus cause the earth to discharge equally on both sides of the deflector, any intermediate position of the wing causing the earth to discharge on each side of the deflector but in unequal quantities. The wing is held in any desired position by a pin 46*, which is passed through any one of a series of holes in a curved bar 46 and into a keeper 46 on the upper edge of the wing. Any preferred method of holding the wing may, however, be employed.

The deflector is located immediately above a pair of endless belts 47, which may be of any preferred style. Each of these belts is mounted on suitable rollers 48 and 49, which are mounted in the opposite ends of bars 50. The shafts of the lower rollers 48, extend through the bars 50, and are journaled at one end in a bracket 51, secured to the arm 41, and at their other ends they are journaled in a bearing block 52, secured to the upright arms 18. The shafts of the upper rollers 49,

- project through the ends of the bars 50, and

yokes 53 are connected to the ends of these shafts, and the yokes are connected by a guy rod 54, which rests upon bridges 55, secured to the beams 11. The belts each stand at an angle of about sixty degrees, and are arranged to discharge the earth falling upon them on the adjacent side of the ditch being formed. A plurality of rollers 56 are journaled in the bars 50, of each conveyer, to prevent the upper faces of the belts from sagging, and rollers 57 perform the same oflicc for the lower face of the belts. Sprocket wheels 58, are secured upon the forward ends of the shafts of the upper rollers 49, and these wheels are connected by chains 59 with sprocket wheels 60, on the rear ends of shafts 61, which are journaled in bearings 62, upon the beams 11 of the cutter head supporting frame. The forward ends of the shafts 61, are provided with beveled gears 3, which mesh with beveled pinions 64, on a shaft 65, mounted in bearings 66, upon the beams 11. One end of the shaft 65, is provided with a sprocket wheel 67', which is connected by a chain 68, with a sprocket wheel 69, on a shaft 70, which is mounted in bearings secured to uprights 71, which are connected at the upper ends with the uprights 8. The shaft 70, is also pro vided with a sprocket wheel 7 2, which is connected by a chain 73 with a sprocket wheel 74, on the power driven shaft 7. The shaft 65, is also provided with a worm pinion 75, which meshes with a worm gear 76, on the cutter head shaft 2-3, by which the said head is rotated, while at the same time the conveyers are operated by the gears and sprocket chains, through the action of shaft 65, and its connection with the power shaft 7. A sprocket Wheel 77, on the shaft 70, connects by a chain 78 with a sprocket wheel 79, on the drum shaft 17, and wheel 77 is loose on the shaft 70, so as to be normally idle, when the machine is in operation, but a suitable clutch 89 is employed to connect it with the shaft 70, and when connected with the shaft, the drum shaft 17 will be operated, and the guy ropes or cables 13 will be wound upon the drums 16, thereby lifting the cutter head frame out of operative position, thus enabling the machine to be transported from place to place. One of the guy ropes 13, is provided with a turn buckle 13, by which unevenness in the lengths of the ropes may he counteracted.

A sprocket wheel 81, on the shaft 7 0, connects by a chain 82, with a sprocket wheel 83, on a shaft 84, which is j ournaled in bearings at the u per ends of the uprights 71. The shaft 84 a so carries a sprocket wheel 85, which connects by a chain 86,with a sprocket wheel 87 on a shaft 88, journaled in bearings 89 on the beams 2, of the traction engine. The shaft 88, also carries a sprocket wheel 90, which connects by a chain 91 with a sprocket wheel 92, on a shaft 93, mounted in bearings on the under sides of the beams 2. The shaft 93, carries pinions 94, at its ends, which mesh with band gears 95 on the rear wheels 4, of the traction engine, and the machine is thus moved forward at a rate of speed proportionate to cutting action of tne cutter head.

The cutters are shown bolted to the ribs of the cutter head, but if desired. I may connect them in the manner shown in Fig. 13, in wluch a tapered socket 96 is employed, said sockets being bolted to the ribs, and the cut ters are formed with tapered shanks 97, which are driven into the sockets, and thereby securely held without the use of bolts or other fastening means. This arrangement affords means for quickly removing a cutter and replacing it with a new one, when necessary, and the pressure exerted upon the cutters when in operation will tend to prevent them from working loose and becoming displaced. By properly ad usting the guy ropes 13, ditches of varying widths and depths may be dug, and the supporting frame is held at the desired adjustment by a ratchet wheel 17 on the end of the drum shaft, which is locked by a gravity pawl 17. As the supporting frame is adjustable, the chain 68, connecting the sprockets 67 and 69, must be a detachable link chain, so that links may be taken from it or added to it to compensate for the position of the frame, and when the machine is being transported from place to place, the said chain is removed, and the cutter head and conveyers are thereby rendered inoperative.

In operation, the machine, which is cor structed substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is moved to the desired point, the cutter head being elevated so as to be above the grouml The cutter head is then lowered until it contacts with the ground, and the 65 is actuated through sprockets 67 and 69 and chaln 68. The worm pnuon on shalt 65 actuates the worm gear on the cutter head shaft 23, whereby the cutter is rotated, while i simultaneously the beveled pinions 64 on the shaft 65 actuate the gears 63 on the shafts 61,

which operate the conveyers 47 through s rockets 58 and 60 and chains 59. When 't 1e cutter head has cut to the depth at which it is desired to excavate, the pawl 17 is caused to engage the ratchet wheel 17, and the head is held at the desired adjustment. The machine is then moved forward at a rate of speed commensurate with the cutting,

capacity of the head, and the excavated earth rolls down into the pockets 60, and is carried up behind the shield 38, which confines it within the pockets until the buckets successively reach the top of the shield, when the earth is discharged. into the chute 43, whence it discharges upon one or both of the conveyers 47, according to the position of the wing 46, whence it is discharged upon the side or sides of the excavation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a ditching machine, the combination of a conical cutter head, having a plurality of earth receiving pockets arranged around its base, which open into the head; an adjustable supporting frame for the head; a chute adapted to receive the earth from the pockets; a movable wing in said chute for deflecting the earth; a pair of conveyers beneath the chute; and means for rotating the head, and for propelling it forward and for operating the conveyers simultaneously.

2. In a ditching machine, the combination of a conical cutter head having pockets ar ranged around its base, which open into the head; a shield for covering said pockets successively at a predetermined point in the movement of the head; a chute at the upper terminus of the shield; an adjustable wing in the chute; a pair of oppositely-traveling conveyers below the chute; and means for operating the conveyers for rotating the head and for propelling the same forward simul taneously.

3. In a ditching machine, the combination with an adjustable supporting frame, of a shaft mounted thereon; a conical, skeleton frame on said shaft having a plurality of pockets around its base which open into the conical frame; a chute for receiving the discharge from the ockets; oppositely traveling conveyers be ow the chute; and means for operating the conveyers for rotating the head and for propelling the same forward.

4. In a ditching machine, the combination with a tractionengine, of a supporting frame pivotally connected at one end to said traction engine; uprights on the engine; sheaves supported by said uprights; drums on said chute in position to receive. the discharge.

from the pockets; oppositely traveling conveyers below the chutes; and means for op erating the conveyers.

5. In a ditching machine, the combination with an adjustable supporting frame and a shaft mounted thereon, of a conicalcutter head mounted on, the shaft, comprising a base ring; a hub forming the apex of the head, and intermediate rings and hubs connected by spokes; ribs extending from the base ring to the apex hub; cutters on said ribs; pockets around the base ring which open into the interior of the cutter head; and means for rotating the shaft.

6. In a ditching machine, the combination with an adjustable supporting frame, and a shaft mounted thereon; of a conical cutter head mounted on the shaft, comprising a base ring; a hub forming the apex of the head and intermediate hubs and rings con-V necte'd by spokes; ribs secured to the rings and foremost hub; cutters secured to the ribs; a plurality of pockets arranged around the base ring and opening into the interior-of the cutter head; a stationary segmental shield sup orted Within the cutter head for successive y closing the pockets during a portion of their rotative movement; and means for rotating and for propelling said cutter head.

7. In a ditching machine, the combination with a vertically adjustable supporting frame, having a shaft mounted thereon, of a conical cutter head on said shaft, comprising a base ring; a hub forming the apex of the head; intermediate hubs and rings connected tothe intermediate hubs by spokes; ribs extending from the base ring to the foremost hub, and secured to the intermediate rings; intermediate ribs which extend from the base ring to the forward ring; cutters on said ribs a plurality of pockets arranged around the base ring and opening into the interior of the cutter. head; a stationary segmental shield supported within the head for successively closing the pockets during a portion of their rotative movement; a chute supported at the upper terminus of the shield; a defleeting wing in the chute; oppositely moving conveyers supported beneath the chute; and

means for operating them; and means for rotating and for propelling the cutter head.

8. In a ditching machine, the combina tion with a vertically adjustable supporting frame, having a shaft mounted thereon, of a conical cutter head on said shaft, comprising a base ring; a hub forming the apex of the head; intermediate hubs and rings connected to the intermediate hubs by spokes; ribs secured to the ring and to the foremost hub; cutters secured to the ribs; a plurality of pockets arranged around the base ring and opening into the interior of the head, said ring forming the rear closures of the pockets; the outside closures being formed by plate sections which extend from one rib to within a short distance of the next succeeding rib, while end plates extend in at right angles to the terminal ends of the late sections; a stationary segmental shield supported within the cutter head, for successively closing the pockets during a portion of their rotative movement; a chute sup orted at the upper terminus of the shie d; a deflector at the lower end of the chute; a wing hinged to the forward end of the deflector, and means for securing the wing in a desired position; oppositely moving conveyers supported beneath the deflector, and means for rotating the cutter head, for propelling it forward, and for op erating the conveyer.

9. In a ditching machine, a rotatable conical cutter head, comprising a base ring; a hub forming the apex of the head, and intermediate hubs, and rings connected to the intermediate hubs by spokes; ribs secured to the rings and foremost hub ;cutters on the ribs; and a plurality of pockets arranged around the base ring, which open into the interior of the cutter head.

10. In a ditching machine, the combination with a rotatable conical cutter head, having a plurality of pockets around its base which open into the interior of the head; of a stationary, segmental shield su ported within the head, for successivey closing thepockets during a portion of their rotative movement; a chute at the upper terminus of the shield; a deflector at the lower end of the shield, having a movable wing oppositely moving conveyers supported beneath the deflector; and means for operating the conveyers and cutter head.

11. In a ditching machine, the combination with a traction engine, having a rearwardly extended frame, of a supporting structure pivotally secured to the rearward extension, and means for raising and lowering said structure; a shaft mounted upon the structure; a conical cutter head on the shaft; a plurality of pockets arranged around the base of the cutter head, which open inward; a stationary shield supported within the cutter head for successively closing the pockets during a portion of their rotative movement; a chute at the upper end of the shield; a deflector at the lower end of the chute; oppositely-moving inclined conveyers supported at their lower ends beneath the deflector, and connected at their upper ends with the supporting structure; sprocket wheels at the upper ends of the conveyers shafts mounted upon the supporting structure, having sprocket wheels at their upper end connected by chains with the conveyer wheels, and bevel gears on their opposite ends; a shaft mounted on the forward end of the supporting structure, having bevel gears meshing with the first mentioned gears, and a worm pinion; a worm gear on the cutter head shaft in mesh with said worm pinion, said worm inion shaft being connected with the drive siaft of the traction engine.

12. In a ditching machine, the combination with a traction engine, having a rear extension, of uprights on the extension supporting sheaves; a drum shaft on the engine frame; a supporting frame pivotally connected to the said rear extension; guy ropes connecting the opposite ends of the supporting frame and the drum shaft and passing over the sheaves; a shaft on the forward end of the supporting frame, having a beveled pinion at each end and a worm pinion intermediate of the beveled pinions; parallel shafts on the supporting frame, having beveled gears which mesh with the said beveled pinions and sprocket wheels on their opposite ends; a cutter head shaft supported from the under side of the supporting frame, having a worm gear upon its forward end in mesh with the before-mentioned worm pinion; and a system of chains and sprockets for connecting the shaft having the worm pinion, with the driving shaft of the engine; a conical cutter head on the cutter head shaft having cutters and a plurality of pockets arranged around its base, which open inward; a segmental shield supported within the cutter head, which successively closes the pockets for a portion of their rotative travel; a chute at the upper terminus of the shield; a deflector at the lower end of the chute, having a hinged wing, and means for securing the wing at the desired adjustment oppositely moving inclined conveyers below the deflector; sprocket wheels on the upper ends of the conveyers, connected by chains with the sprocket wheels on the parallel shafts; and means for connecting the drum shaft with the power shaft of the engine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. WHITE,

Witnesses G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FowLE. 

